Start a Fund

We are home to over 495 charitable funds created by generous area individuals, families, businesses and civic organizations who care passionately about Eastern Connecticut.

We are Here To Serve You

If you’re considering establishing a long-term charitable fund to benefit the residents of Eastern Connecticut in perpetuity, we welcome your involvement and celebrate and commend your generosity. We are here at the ready to assist you.

Our foundation is a well-established, widely trusted public charity that serves as the hub for meaningful philanthropy for 42 communities in New London, Windham and Tolland Counties.

We make it easy and joyful for area donors – and the professional advisors who represent them – to establish personally meaningful, sustainable, charitable funds that make a powerful impact on the specific issues and communities of interest to them.

We are delighted to walk you or your advisors through the process, explain all the details and provide as much or as little support as you desire along the way. Read more about Why Donors Choose Us

Questions To Consider

Here are the initial questions we recommend new donors consider when they begin to contemplate their charitable giving.

We like to ask, “What would you like to do for our community and how can we help you do it?” Think about your charitable passions and how you would like to turn your dreams into realities. We specialize in helping our donors create charitable funds that make a meaningful impact on the issues and communities they care about. We work closely with our donors to help you learn more about the causes you care about and achieve your philanthropic goals. Read more about Our Work, Our Priorities and Our Communities

Would you like to start giving immediately, would you prefer to make a future donation through your estate, or would you like to do both? There are many options open to you. We specialize in helping our donors develop charitable funds customized to their financial needs, abilities and preferences. Read more about the different Types of Funds that are available and how to Give to an Existing Fund or Give Later: Leave a Legacy

Endowed funds enable you to make grants in perpetuity, ensuring your generosity endures for generations to come. They’re, by definition, permanent. Our Board of Trustees, Investment Committee and professional investment managers manage our strategic investments of endowed funds to ensure we maximize the financial returns on our donors’ funds and are able to issue as many charitable grants and scholarships from those funds as possible every year. Non-endowed funds – or “pass-through funds” – are not permanent. We ensure these funds always remain liquid and accessible so that they can be distributed upon our donors’ request. Read more about Our Financial Accountability and Our Investment Strategies

We can help you establish a fund that addresses one specific philanthropic interest of yours or multiple areas of interest. Whatever your preference, we’ll connect you to the most effective nonprofits working on the issues you’re most passionate about. Read more about Types of Funds and Why Donors Choose Us

Some donors wish to establish funds in honor of a cherished family member or friend, or in recognition of someone’s birthday, anniversary, wedding or other milestone; others prefer to donate in anonymity. We will work with you to ensure the level of public visibility you desire. Read more about Why Donors Choose Us

There’s a variety to choose from – each of which offers specific advantages and benefits. We would love the opportunity to walk you through the choices and help identify the best options for you. Read more about Types of Funds

We are committed to maximizing our donors’ investments so their funds can issue as many grants as possible every year to benefit our community.

Administrative Fees:

While there are no fees involved in setting up a charitable fund at our foundation, there are some small fees associated with its ongoing administration.

Our administrative fees help cover the costs of bookkeeping and auditing associated with your fund, as well as the staff time devoted to investment oversight, grant making, acknowledging contributions and exercising the required due diligence over recipients of grants or scholarships.

These fees, together with direct gifts we sometimes receive to cover our overhead costs, enable us to serve our donors and nonprofit partners efficiently and cost effectively. In a sense, they are more than simple charges for the delivery of professional services – they are important contributions to the community in and of themselves.

We charge an annual administrative fee of 1.25 percent of a fund’s value for all charitable funds (1 percent for Agency Endowments).

Investment Fees:

Brown Brothers Harriman main portfolio: 1.07% (107 basis points) which are netted out of investment results before fund balances are reported to donors.

The fee for BBH Investment Advisory and custody services is based on the fair value of the Foundation's Account Assets, including accrued interest, on the date of the appraisal of the Account. The Investment Advisory Fee applies to, among other assets, Client Directed Assets. Certain cash held in the Account, investments in BBH Funds, BBH alternative investments and Private Assets will not be included in the calculation of the Investment Advisory Fee but may be subject to other fees.

The Investment Advisory Fees are computed as follows:
1.00% per annum on the first $5,000,000
0.75% per annum on the next $5,000,000
0.60% per annum on the next $15,000,000
0.50% per annum on the balance

Strategic Advisory (SA) funds are subject to a flat 0.40% per annum fee, and there is a $5,000 fee for BBH socially responsible investment (SRI) administration & reporting.

Walden Asset Management SRI portfolio: Investment management and custody fees of .79% (79 basis points) include an investment management fee for separately managed assets and indirect compensation received by BTIM Inc., a subsidiary of Boston Trust which advises proprietary mutual funds held in the account.

The separately managed asset fee is based on the prior calendar quarter’s ending market value, including accruals, and may be adjusted to reflect significant cash flows during the quarter. Proprietary fund fees (the mutual fund expense ratio) are charged to applicable funds as detailed in the funds’ prospectus and SAI. To prevent duplicative fees on assets proprietary fund holdings within the account are excluded from the separately managed asset market value.

Walden Asset Management investment management and custody fees for the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut are estimated to be 0.79% annualized. The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut’s fees are computed as follows:

Separately Managed Assets:
0.75% per annum on the first $10,000,000
0.60% per annum on the next $15,000,000
0.45% per annum on the balance